Exercises to Strengthen a Crossing Eye

Strabismus, convergence insufficiency or crossed eyes, is a difficult condition to deal with. Often a crossing eye will not allow you to focus properly on an object, often causing multiple images. Often this condition is seen, according to the Mayo Clinic, in older children and adolescents and can be treated with exercise, surgery or drugs.

Guidelines

• When doing eye exercises to correct a crossed eye, it is important to follow all the instructions thoroughly. Always do the exercises in non-glaring light to protect the eye from damage. Do not wear any glasses or contact lenses for the eye until you are instructed to do so by a doctor. Always rest your eyes after the exercise to prevent overstraining. It is best to do your exercises in the morning before the eyes are tired from a day's work.

Pencil Push-Ups

• To strengthen the eye and help improve vision do a simple pencil exercise. Take a pencil that has some writing on it, and hold it away from the face. Try to focus the crossing eye on one of the letters on the pencil, and slowly bring the pencil toward the eye. As you bring the pencil closer to the face, try to keep both eyes focused on it. If the vision begins to double at any time, stop the movement, and begin again. Do this exercise 15 minutes a day at least five days a week.

Online Exercises

• Exercises can be done online through websites or on your computer using special software. These computer programs use optical illusions and points of focus to help train the eye to focus on proper convergence. Eyes exercises are available online for free or you can pay for software. Your doctor will be able to provide you with recommendations based on experience. According to the Mayo Clinic, these online exercises are effective for one-third of patients. Some eye-care providers may be able to provide in clinic therapy, but this is rare.